Record of Decision for Greater New Haven Combined Sewer Overflow Long-Term Control Plan
Address: Throughout the City of New Haven
Municipality: New Haven
Project Description: New Haven is a combined sewer overflow community, where both sanitary sewage and stormwater are carried in a single pipe. During rainfall events of sufficient intensity and duration, the capacity of the collection system is overwhelmed, and excess flows discharge to nearby rivers and New Haven Harbor via built-in overflows in the collection system. The overflows were designed to prevent the combined sewer flows from backing up into basements and surcharging onto municipal roadways. The Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority (GNHWPCA) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of this collection and treatment system.
GNHWPCA has agreed through a DEEP Consent Order to eliminate these discharges and has developed the CSO Long-Term Control Plan to accomplish this. The Plan recommends a combination of sewer-separation, in-system storage, and capacity increases in the conveyance system and at New Haven’s East Shore Water Pollution Abatement Facility (ESWPAF). These improvements will be implemented in a phased approach in over a 20-year period. The plan will be reevaluated as the project progresses, based on environmental improvements, changes in regulations and new technological solutions that may emerge. The implementation of the proposed Plan will be conducted in three phases: Short-Term, Intermediate-Term, and Long-Term. The Short-Term improvements include collection system modifications, including green infrastructure improvements in the West River are and other areas in the city. Major pump station improvements and other collection system improvements will be undertaken as part of the Intermediate-Term phase. This will enable additional flow to be conveyed to the ESWPAF. The Long-Term portion of the Plan will include upgrades to the ESWPAF, Fair Haven sewer separation, and construction of CSO storage tanks to complete improvements to eliminate all CSO discharges during a 2-year, 6-hour storm event in the system.
Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) Determination: On March 16, 2021, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection published a Notice of Availability of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) in accordance with Section 22a-1d of CEPA, in the Environmental Monitor.
Comments were received from the Connecticut Department of Public Health on March 29, 2021. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has prepared responses to the substantive issues raised in the comments on the EIE and on supplemental materials or amendments. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s conclusion is documented in the Record of Decision for the proposed action, which also contains comments and responses.
Agency contact:
Name: Syed Bokhari
Agency: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address: 79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106
Phone: 860-424-3107
E-Mail: Syed.Bokhari@ct.gov
Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:
Name: Syed Bokhari
Agency: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Address: 79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106
E-Mail: Syed.Bokhari@ct.gov
What happens next: DEEP has submitted the Record of Decision to the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) for review. Notice of OPM's determination regarding the Record of Decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor.